The Write Way to Travel

Issue#37
Edited by Lori Appling in Bethany Beach, DE
October 2, 2004

"Easy reading is damn hard writing" -- Nathaniel Hawthorne

TODAY:

• Those Pesky Negatives: How to Be Honest and Still Sell Your Story
• A Trip to San Diego Could Land You Your First Byline
• Congratulations Jessica L - Her First Published Article and a Check
• Retire This Year...Writing
• This Week's Featured Travel Publications: Seattle Magazine and Country Connection
• More Opportunities and Resources for Writers

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Dear Reader,

I got at least ten emails this week about our upcoming Travel Writer Workshop in San Diego. I suspect we will, as usual, have a full-house. So if you're still hemming and hawing about signing up, I encourage you to do so soon.

We chose San Diego as the destination for this event because of its near perfect weather...its easy (and therefore cheaper) access from all major airports... and, most importantly, because of the opportunities the city offers for great travel articles.

Unlike other workshops where you sit back and scribble notes, our programs are highly interactive every day and even include an assignment out-and-about in town. That means you'll head out to explore San Diego and find something to write about.

Then you come back, roll up your sleeves, and get to work. We've structured this course so that you come away with at least one "publishable" piece in hand.

We walk you, step-by-step, through exactly what you need to do to put your article together, answering your questions and helping you along the way. In fact, you'll learn proven templates for travel articles. Follow these formulas, and you'll always know what to put first and what to write next. They'll cut hours off your writing time.

What's more, when you have your finished piece ready to go, we'll hand you the names and contact information for a handful of editors in the market for articles from freelancers, all willing to work with first-time writers.

The information you'll gain at this workshop could, quite literally, change your life -- it has already for so many of our alumni who, today, are working travel writers. You'll find some of their success stories here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/workshop/bb

On another subject: After reading last week's issue, a student wrote...

"Instead of bringing up the issue of "lying", what about omitting important details that could potentially be dangerous to your reader? For example, I wrote an article on the Hispanic celebration of Day of the Dead in San Antonio. All the locations I mentioned were fun and safe during the daytime. However, one area could be considered unwise for a tourist at night... How do you write on subjects you love without getting your audience in trouble?"

That's a very good question. I passed it to Jennifer Stevens to get her thoughts. She shares some useful advice below.

(And, of course, Jen will be in San Diego leading our November workshop. To ensure you have a seat, sign up today at: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/workshop/bb.)

Have a good weekend and please keep me up-to-speed on your travel-writing success. Jessica L. writes, "Hi Lori. I wanted to drop you a short note to say thanks very much for AWAI's Travel Writing Course. A few weeks ago I sold my first article, which is really the first article I've pitched. I'll admit it's a small one, and the pay is low but it's a big start for me. I can't wait to write the next one. AWAI's program works, and I'd recommend it to anyone. Thanks"

If you have a story to share, send me a quick note at lori@thetravelwriterslife.com.

-- Lori

Lori Appling
Director, AWAI's Travel Writer Program

P.S. Know a friend or two who'd enjoy the freedom and independence of a writer's life? They, too, can sign up to receive this free e-letter weekly at: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/eletter

Those Pesky Negatives: How to Be Honest and Still Sell Your Story
By Freelance Travel Writer,
Jennifer Stevens in Colorado Springs, CO.

I'll be straight with you: Editors aren't going to give up pages and pages of copy to an article that discourages readers from going to a place.

First, the advertisers wouldn't go for it. (Why, for example, would the Tanzanian Tourist Board fork over thousands of dollars for an ad that faces an article whose premise is: Don't go to Tanzania, it's a hole-in-the-wall? They wouldn't.)

Second, people read travel articles to find out where to go. They read to "live" a little in the story-telling, to learn about the world, to escape. They do not read to find out how wretched a place is. They can get their fill of that in Section A of any daily paper.

Travel publications are in the business of keeping their advertisers and their readers happy. That's how they stay in business.

So does that mean you're to paint a rosy picture of every place you venture? No... and yes. Here's what I mean:

*** 1) Find the right publication for your story and turn your negatives into positives.

Say, for example, you want to write about a 5-day winter backpacking trip you took in Holy Cross Wilderness in Colorado. You dug an igloo to sleep in, and you didn't see another human the whole time you were away.

If you wanted to pitch this article to Travel & Leisure, you'd have your work cut out for you. You'd have to find a way to make your igloo and isolation story appeal to an audience whose idea of an ideal Colorado escape is a week at a luxury spa in Aspen. Your entire article would be full of negatives as far as that reader is concerned.

Those same negatives, however, turn to positives the instant you switch audiences. Avid backpackers, for example, might find this story fascinating -- the perfect back-country trip for an avid backpacker in search of a real escape (for this type of audience, that is.) So if you're writing for Backpacker Magazine, then you're all set. That audience will eat it up.

My point: Target your audience correctly and your negatives will mostly disappear.

*** 2) They won't -- or shouldn't -- disappear entirely. Your reader deserves your honest assessment of a place. So include the negatives as caveats and, when possible, offer solutions and give those negatives a positive spin. You'll build credibility, and your reader will appreciate your candor.

For example, let's say you decide to write about your Holy Cross Wilderness trip for Backpacker Magazine. Your audience is well-targeted, so you won't have too many negatives. But there are still a few downsides to this destination: It's really high up and it's hard to get to.

Now, the fact that the elevations range from 8,000 to 13,000 feet might not be an issue if you live in Colorado and you're used to hiking at those altitudes. But somebody coming from a lower elevation might experience nausea, diarrhea, headaches, and shortness of breath.

You might say, for instance: "Hiking at 8,000-13,000 feet can be grueling, even for somebody used to those altitudes. But if you're coming from a lower elevation, be warned: altitude sickness can bring with it nausea, diarrhea, headaches, and shortness of breath. Nothing you can't avoid, though, by arriving a few days before your trip so your body has time to acclimate. Plus you'll want to be sure you take a bottle of Tylenol and some Tums on the trail." Problem solved (and negative counteracted).

As for it being hard to get to... again, that's OK as long as you give your reader fair warning. You're doing him a disservice if you neglect to mention the harrowing drive over snowy passes. Wouldn't you want to know?

You could say: "Make sure you rent a 4-wheel-drive vehicle for your trip as it can be treacherous at times getting from Denver to the park's entrance. It's worth the effort, though. The views are glorious, and because few travelers want to be bothered battling the snow on those narrow, curvy roads, the trails in the park are, as a result, virtually empty. It's like having the whole of the West to yourself."

Now you've not only offered a solution to the problem of getting there, but you've turned the negative around and presented a real plus, a payoff. There's nothing a die-hard backpacker likes better than deserted trails.

*** 3) Further downplay the negative by giving it relatively few words.

Our reader up above asked how he should talk about those San Antonio neighborhoods that are great for Day of the Dead celebrations in the daytime but might be unsafe for tourists at night.

My response? Just say as much. If you've targeted your audience correctly, and you've painted an enticing-enough picture of these celebrations, then your reader won't care. He'll simply make sure he's out of those neighborhoods by night fall.

Just be sure to spend more time talking about the "upside" and less about the "downside."

Dont say: "Make sure you're out of neighborhood x by nightfall. The place is known for its violent crimes, and you won't want to be caught off-guard."

Instead, say: "Plan your visit to neighborhood x during the day, when it's perfectly safe there. Then head for the evening to neighborhood y for dinner at restaurant z. There you'll find the best Mexican food in town."

Now you've made your point subtly and quickly, giving relatively few words to your negative point and, really, casting it in a positive light. And your suggestion for an evening activity focuses your reader's attention on another positive aspect of your story.

*** Three More Examples

I'm including here three more passages. In each, the writer handles the negative well.

** From a student's article on the Seychelles: Instead of "the wine is awful," the writer says...

Dont expect much in the way of a wine list, though. Good wine is hard to come by anywhere in the Seychelles and in this way only, The Mahek is no different. The beer however, a local brew called Eku, is second to none.

** From a restaurant review in the New York Times: Instead of "everything is overcooked," the writer says...

...If I wanted a great skirt steak or roasted pork in Washington Heights at 2 a.m. after a night of dancing, there would be no better place than El Presidente, on Broadway near 165th Street. But if I wanted a meal before the party in a place with low lights and a warm atmosphere, I wouldn't hesitate to pick Bohio ...In fact, many dishes are cooked a little bit more than I would choose, not surprisingly. One night I took my friend Raphael, who is part Dominican and has made a close personal study of Dominican cuisine. ''Dominicans like everything well done,'' he said, as we cut into a piece of flank steak ($16) that had been ordered medium rare but was just a bit pink. Nonetheless, the chewy beef had plenty of flavor.

** From a Washington Post article on a visit to Sarasota: Instead of "the shops are very expensive," the writer says...

Our visit takes about four hours, and that's rushing it. But shops in both downtown Lido Key and Sarasota had caught our attention during a drive-through, and they beckon. If you come to Sarasota either bring a lot of cash or decide to window-shop with abandon. The stores tend toward the high end, offering paintings, sculptures, glass, furniture and clothing made by fine artists and craftspeople both locally and from around the world.

[Jen Stevens has spent the balance of the last seven years gallivanting through Latin America and the Caribbean -- to Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, Belize and beyond reporting on and writing about the best locales for overseas travel, retirement, and investment. She is the former editor of International Living and Island Properties Report, and she was a writer and editor for several years at Trade & Culture magazine. Jen is the principal architect and writer of Passport to Romance: The Ultimate Travel Writer's Course, published by the American Writers & Artists Institute: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/kp/tw4. You can meet her in person this November in San Diego: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/workshop/bb]

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THIS WEEK'S FEATURED TRAVEL PUBLICATION

Seattle Magazine publishes stories about travel in and around Seattle. From Portland to BC to the coast to Spokane, if you've got an interesting or unusual travel story to tell, they are interested to hear more about it. They accept queries. Send your story idea along with three clips to Rachel Hart by email--rachel@seattlemag.com. View their complete guidelines at http://www.seattlemag.com/writers.asp.

Canadians only! Country Connection, a Canadian publication with a focus on green travel, works often with freelancers. The content should focus on travel in Canada, and they work only with Canadian writers. The tone of the publication is very environmentally friendly. They accept full submission sent to The Editor, The Country Connection, PO Box 100, Boulter, Ontario, K0L 1G0. Visit http://www.pinecone.on.ca/MAGAZINE/writers.html for their complete guidelines and editorial calendar.

OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR WRITERS:

• OUR NEXT TRAVEL-WRITING WORKSHOP -- Imagine a summer of travel... free. All you have to do in exchange is take good notes about what you did and where you went and then recommend -- or discourage -- others from following in your footsteps. What's more, you could earn a few hundred... maybe even a few thousand... dollars for your trouble. These stateside events mean fewer days away and less travel expense. Check out our next Travel Writing Workshop, to be held this November 11-14 in San Diego, at http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/workshop/bb
• Join the ITWPA and get an extra $200 off the workshop. Visit: http://www.itwpa.com
• TWO FREE ISSUES -- AWAI students and ITWPA members are entitled to two free issues of Writer's Digest magazine at:
  https://secure.palmcoastd.com/pcd/document?ikey=0768PIW08
• 25% OFF WRITER'S MARKET -- AWAI students and ITWPA members receive a 25% discount to the Writer's Market web site at www.WritersMarket.com. When signing up, just use the coupon code WM04G1 to receive $7.50 off the annual $29.99 subscription rate. The 2004 Writer's Market Book can be purchased for $29.99 at: http://www.writersdigest.com/store/booksdisplay.asp?id=10851
• THE AWAI FORUM FOR TRAVEL WRITERS -- You'll find this excellent online resource at: http://www.awaionline.com/forum/. It's a place to get answers to your questions, discuss your story ideas, find readers to review your articles, and stay connected to a community of writers.
• BIG BUCKS FOR SNAPSHOTS
  Photos can be a remarkably strong sales tool when you're approaching an editor with a story. They can significantly increase your chances of getting published (and earning extra income) -- that is, if you know how to take the kinds of photos editors like. Find out the simplest and best camera to take with you (you don't want to be lugging a trunk full of equipment)... how to use time of day... create a mood... how to photograph people versus landscapes and wildlife... and more. You'll find Big Bucks for Snapshots: 53 Can't Miss Techniques for Becoming a Money-Making Freelance Photographer here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/photos/tw4

  NOTE: Big Bucks for Snap Shots comes free when you enroll in Passport to Romance: The Ultimate Travel Writer's Course at: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/kp/tw4

• TAX SAVINGS EVERY FREELANCER SHOULD TAKE
  Find out where you can save... what the IRS really needs to know... how to make the most of those deductions for travel, meals, entertainment, home office, and more including practical worksheets you can use to make sure you're paying as little as possible to Uncle Sam. You'll find The Writer's Tax Guide: A Money-Saving Manual for Travel Writers and Other Freelancers here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/tax/tw4

• EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF WRITING
  Learn how to find the best story ideas and places to publish them...how and when to follow up with an editor...what you need to know about buying rights, contracts, and agreements...how to use syndication to increase your exposure and boost your earnings...and more. You'll find The Business of Writing Guide: A Practical Guide for Travel Writers (and Other Freelancers) Ready to Turn Words into Profits here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/biz/tw4

The Write Way to Travel is a FREE weekly newsletter from the American Writers & Artists Institute, available to AWAI students and friends.

© 2004 American Writers & Artists Institute

To ADVERTISE in The Write Way to Travel or to send comments, news, research, or story ideas, e-mail Lori Appling at lappling@awaionline.com.

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